Andrew Giddings

{{Short description|British musician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Andrew Giddings | image = AG studio.jpg | landscape = yes | caption = | birth_name = Andrew Giddings | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|07|10|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Pembury]], [[Kent]], England | instrument = keyboards | genre = [[Progressive rock]], [[folk rock]], [[hard rock]], [[Electronic music|electronic]] | occupation = Musician, songwriter, producer | years_active = 1980–present | label = [[Chrysalis Records|Chrysalis]], [[EMI Records|EMI]] | associated_acts = [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]], [[Ian Anderson]], [[Martin Barre]], [[Eric Burdon]], [[Jon Anderson]], [[Sniff 'n' the Tears]], [[Leo Sayer]] | website = }}

'''Andrew Giddings''' (born 10 July 1963) is an English musician.<ref name="ALLMUSIC B">{{cite web| url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/andy-giddings-mn0000110360/biography |work= ALLMUSIC |publisher=allmusic.com |title= Artist Biography by Gary Hill |access-date=10 February 2021}}</ref> He primarily plays [[keyboard instruments]] and is best known as a former member of British rock group [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]], for whom he was the longest serving keyboardist.<ref name=JT>{{cite web |url= https://jethrotull.com/the-attic/past-band-members-and-guests/andrewgiddings/|date= 2015 |work= [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]] |publisher= jethrotull.com |title= Andrew Giddings, Keyboards |access-date=10 February 2021}}</ref>

== Early life == Giddings was born in [[Pembury]], [[Kent]], England. His mother enrolled him in piano lessons at an early age, which he quit by his early teens in favour of learning to play pop music by ear. After leaving school, he found employment in a musical instrument store.<ref name=JT />

== Career ==

Giddings began his professional music career in 1980, playing with the groups Profusion, The Chase, and The Brothers Grimm,<ref name=rock>{{cite web | url=https://www.therocktologist.com/andrew-giddings-interview.html |author=Lorraine Kay |year=2011 |publisher=The Rocktologist |title=Interview with Andrew Giddings |access-date=23 February 2021}}</ref> later forming his own band X-statique.<ref name=JT /> He had a brief solo period backing artists from the past, recording and touring with [[Eric Burdon]]'s band for about five years. Later he recorded with various artists including [[Leo Sayer]], [[Sniff 'n' the Tears]], Vyktoria Keating, [[Willy Porter]], and [[Jon Anderson]] of [[Yes (band)|Yes]].<ref name=JT />

Giddings joined Jethro Tull in 1991, succeeding [[Maartin Allcock]]. He played on the albums [[Catfish Rising]], [[In Concert (Jethro Tull album)|Jethro Tull In Concert]], [[25th Anniversary Box Set#Disc Three: The Beacons Bottom Tapes|The Beacons Bottom Tapes]], [[Roots to Branches]], [[J-Tull Dot Com]], [[Living with the Past]], [[The Jethro Tull Christmas Album]] and [[Aqualung Live]]. He toured with the band all over the world until 2007 when he was succeeded by John O’Hara.<ref name=JT /> Giddings also played with [[Ian Anderson]] on two of the latter's solo albums, ''[[Divinities: Twelve Dances with God]]'' and ''[[The Secret Language of Birds]]'', also on solo albums with [[Martin Barre]].<ref name=rock/>

After leaving Jethro Tull, Giddings produced a solo album in 2010, ''Picture This'', a collection of his keyboard and electronic music.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/Andrew-Giddings-Picture-This/release/2527165 |publisher=Discogs |title=Andrew Giddings – Picture This |access-date=28 February 2021}}</ref> Later he provided keyboard and orchestration services via e-sessions, and wrote and recorded music for film and television at his digital studio in Oxfordshire.<ref name=JT />

Giddings appears on Jethro Tull's 2025 album, [[Curious Ruminant]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://jethrotull.com/curious-ruminant/#:~:text=Amongst%20the%20musicians%20featured%20are,the%20band%2C%20guitarist%20Jack%20Clark. |publisher=Jethro Tull |title=Jethro Tull Curious Ruminant |access-date=14 March 2025}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == *[https://www.reverbnation.com/andrewgiddingsmusic Andrew Giddings Music at Reverb Nation] *[https://jethrotull.com/the-attic/past-band-members-and-guests/andrewgiddings/ Andrew Giddings at Jethro Tull official website] *[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/andy-giddings-mn0000110360/biography Artist Biography by Gary Hill] *{{Discogs artist}}

{{Jethro Tull}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Giddings, Andrew}} [[Category:1963 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:English rock keyboardists]] [[Category:Jethro Tull (band) members]]